Heroes of our villages, towns and cities

12 Category winners announced for the 2023 RHS Britain in Bloom competition.  Newcastle-under-Lyme has been awarded RHS gold and the accolade of Overall Winner Read more - members only

Newcastle-under-Lyme is the overall winner of the 2023 UK Finals of Britain in Bloom

Smart is the choice of Choice

Smart Garden was named Supplier of the Year by Choice members at the post conference dinner celebrating the groups 21st year. Read more - members only

The Smart Garden team accept their award from Terry Mayhew and Marylin Monroe

Gardenex recruits UK exhibitors for National Hardware Show

Gardenex is recruiting for its UK pavilion at the March 2024 Las Vegas show for the lawn and garden, hardware and DIY industries. Read more - members only

Hortweek parent buys Garden Connect

Haymarket Media Group, parent of Horticulture Week, and Green Solutions have acquired Garden Connect, creating a cloud software solution for businesses in horticulture. Read more - members only

Edwin Meijer Co-Founder and CMO at Garden Connect

Gethin Jones to host the 2023 GIMAs

TV and radio broadcaster, Gethin Jones has been confirmed as the host of the 2023 GIMA Awards on Thursday 19th October at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales, Read more - open to all

Gethin Jones

GCA launches new GROW module on Sustainable Disease Control

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has just introduced another new module to its Garden Retail Online Workshops (GROW) e-Learning platform – this time on Sustainable Disease Control (August 2023). Read more - open to all

Antony Snow, Instructional Designer for GROW at the GCA

HTA launches grower contribution scheme for plant protection product authorisations

HTA is inviting growers to make voluntary contributions to Horticulture Crop Protection Ltd to enable off label use of plant protection products to continue. Read more - members only

PetQuip Awards 2023 announces finalists

After a record number of entries, the PetQuip trade association has revealed the list of finalists for the PetQuip Awards dinner on 1 October at Telford International Centre. Read more - open to all

5 New Garden Centre members for Choice Marketing

Buying and marketing group Choice Marketing has announced 5 new members expanding its nationwide network of independent garden centres to 52. Read more - members only

Gardentime in Dartmouth

You're invited! [webinar] Successfully manage your workforce

Join us 3 Aug 2pm BST to find out how technology can seamlessly manage HR, payroll and scheduling across Garden Centres retail and restaurant operations. Read more - open to all

New look for the HTA Learning Hub

The HTA HUB is a purpose-built Learning Management System to host e-learning, links to training, development information and downloadable resources. Read more - members only

Wyevale Nurseries offers complimentary peat free advice leaflet to garden centres

Wyevale Nurseries is this month offering a free downloadable peat free PDF advisory leaflet to trade customers seeking assistance with the changes to the law around peat usage (July 2023). Read more - open to all

 Harry Downes and the peat free flyer

Plant sales blossom in the May sunshine

Plants sales increased massively in the May sunshine making up for transactions lost earlier in the year.  Garden sundries also improved but by less and are still down for the year.  Read more - members only

1,738 new gardening-related shops in London since 2017

A NatWest study has revealed that the gardening sector has blossomed across the UK, with a +267% uptick in gardening-related shops opening since 2017.   Read more - members only

little dobbies in central Cheltenham

The Federation of Garden & Leisure Manufacturers launches new technical export help service

Gardenex, PetQuip and CHA member companies will be able to utilise a valuable new service on renewal of their annual membership subscriptions with unlimited usefor all member companies. Read more - open to all

Most pay increases under 5%

A MorePeople salary survey of garden centres and horticulture shows most had a pay increase of 5% or less and career progression is biggest reason for changing jobs. Read more - members only

MorePeople wins Large Business of the Year Award

MorePeople are delighted to have won Large Business of the Year 2023 at the Stamford Mercury Business Awards 2023 last Friday 15th September. Read more - open to all

YPHA – A Grand Day Out!

On September 15th, 90 members of the Young People in Horticulture Association (YPHA) descended on Haws Watering Cans and David Austin Roses for one of their bi-annual special visits. Read more - members only

Meet the HTA’s new chief executive

Next month’s HTA Autumn Conference will be opened by its new Chief Executive, Fran Barnes.  Who is she?  We interview the former BBC editor and Director of NFU communications. Read more - open to all

Fran Barnes

July income resilient despite the weather

The Garden Centre Association has released some resilient July figures despite a big drop in garden furniture sales and a lot of rain. Read more - members only

GCA CEO Peter Burks adds to catering income

BHETA signs up Westland and holds webinar with Walmart

Westland Horticulture has joined BHETA.   The Association is also holding a networking webinar with the online arm of US multinational retail corporation, Walmart. Read more - members only

HTA takes legal action to clarify timing of peat ban for growers

The HTA has resorted to legal action to try and clarify when the Government intends to ban peat as a medium for professional growing. Read more - members only

GIMA launches 2025 Consumer and Design Insights+Trends Report

The ever-popular GIMA trend report is set to return this September with three webinars confirmed, each providing delegates informative and interactive insight into those trends that are set to shape consumer desires, attitudes and aesthetics in 2025. Read more - open to all

Perennial calls on industry to help

During the first half of 2023, Perennial assisted 1,184 people, compared to 897 in the first half of 2022, a 31% increase.  This highlights the urgent need for increased support. Read more - open to all

Mid-year Insight reveals continued strong interest in garden centres

Christie & Co, has launched its Retail & Leisure: 2023 Mid-Year Insight, which reflects on activity, trends and challenges across the UK’s convenience retail, forecourt, garden centre and leisure markets in the first half of 2023 and provides an outlook for the rest of the year. Read more - open to all

New GCA GROW food safety and health & safety courses launched

The Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) Garden Retail Online Workshops (GROW) e-Learning platform has introduced five new compliance-based e-Learning courses covering food safety and health & safety (July 2023). Read more - open to all

Results show profits normalising post Covid

Post Covid-19, results are still pretty healthy for most but not all garden companies, as the likes of Westland, Squire’s, Klondyke, Scotsdale and Allensmore show. Read more - members only

Barton Grange, Cowells and Tong join Prosper

UPDATE: Barton Grange, Cowells and Tong Garden Centres have signed up to the Prosper Buying Group.  So has St Peter’s Garden Centre saying time is right for a change. Read more - members only

Westland funds for The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation

The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation is benefiting from a substantial donation from Westland Horticulture to assist the Foundation with their work supporting students studying horticulture. Read more - open to all

Ed Conroy, CEO of Westland at BBC Gardeners World Live in 2022

The Garden Media Guild confirms new officers

The Garden Media Guild (GMG) is pleased to announce that it has confirmed the appointment of its officer roles, with Mike Palmer returning as Chair, supported by Alexandra Campbell, Stephanie Hafferty and Lexi Gee as Vice-Chairs. Read more - open to all

Mike Palmer

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